


Elles

by RosVailintin



Series: C'Est D'Ici Que Je Vous Écris [1]
Category: Dead Bodies (2003), London Spy, Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters (TV), Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes (1984 TV), Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - Shadowhunter Chronicles Fusion, Alternate Universe - Sherlock (TV) Fusion, Anger, Blood Magic, Books, Bottom Alec Lightwood, Bottom Richard, Bottom Sherlock Holmes, Bottom Simon - Freeform, Bullying, Co-Written, County Kerry, Crossdressing, Crossover Pairings, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Dark Past, F/F, F/M, Female Homosexuality, Female Moran, Female Richard Brook, First Meetings, Genderswap, High School, Holmes Brothers, Identity Reveal, Inspired by Fanfiction, Inspired by Real Events, Ireland, Letters, M/M, Mary is Not Nice, Mary knows, Pseudonyms, Reincarnation, Reunited and It Feels So Good, Richard Brook Was Real, Secret Identity, Semi-Canonical Character, Song Lyrics, Story within a Story, Storytelling, Suicide, Supportive Magnus Bane, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Top John Watson, Top Magnus Bane, Top Raphael, Top Sebastian Moran, Trans Male Character, Transgender, Underworld, Vampire Moriarty, Vampires, Warlock Magnus Bane, Warlocks, i can use a canonised tag to reveal who the narrator is but i don't, mystrious narrator, song titles, the other Holmes brother
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-14
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-07-23 18:30:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7475256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RosVailintin/pseuds/RosVailintin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You like stories? Whether your answer is yes or no, listen to mine, because you will love it. And, honey, you know the plot. Just listen, and recall your past.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Elles

**Author's Note:**

> Right, a new series is open! The relationship between the characters (especially those from different fandoms) can be a little complicated. This work was first inspired by [_say my name (and every colour illuminates)_](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6635818) by [jimmriarty](http://archiveofourown.org/users/jimmriarty/pseuds/jimmriarty), and then a thing happened. My bestie [Hermione](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Mionemrys) found an old letter written in the 1980s and a page from a book in the streets. So yeah, there's something about that in this work.  
>  Btw, I'VE STOPPED UPDATING THIS WORK FOR NOW, because I feel I need more study in the original Sherlock Holmes stories and The Mortal Instruments to make my story make more sense. Not sure when I'll be updating it again, but it will be in one or two years, I guess. Another thing, THE NARRATOR IS NOT ME. It's one of the characters, not me. So in the summary, it's also at the narrator's POV. Who the narrator is will be uncovered at the end of the series (which will be long long after, I'm afraid lol).  
> Anyway, here we go!

#### PART I

You say, 'I've been a stranger for too long.'

Westlife·Home

* * *

Let me tell you a story.

Once upon a time, in a ordinary but happy family in the lovely town of Kerry, a little girl came into this world. Her name was Sebriane. This name may not impress you much, but that of her father is one you certainly recognise: General Norbert Moran. Yes, the most handsome and the best-mannered German gentleman you could find in the town. He had a crowd of admirers, but he met this charming young Irish lady named Aislinn on a DART train, and they fell in love and got married. A year later, Aislinn gave birth to little Sebriane.

The girl grew up fast, and by the age of 16, when she was old enough for high school, she could take care of many things herself. But that didn't mean that she was confident about attending a new school. In the past 16 years, she has been popular among other kids, both boys and girls, because she was warm-hearted and kind to everyone, and she could draw well. But she wasn't pretty. She was not bad-looking, of course, but as a girl, she had the face of a boy, and was very tall and skinny. Her friends called her 'Seb'; it was partly because her name was too long, but mostly because she looked like a guy rather than a girl. She has inherited the sharp, cold, pastel blue eyes of her father, and the strong, bony chin of her mother. The slightly tanned skin of hers was probably one of the few things about her appearance that others were jealous of, but her hair was pale blond, which created the funny look that her skin tone was darker than that of her hair.

And she fought. It was banned at school, but she fought. For herself, for others, for whatever she considered worth a good combat. But she never bullied any kid, and from time to time, she would have a brawl with the bullies.

On the first day of high school, she was determined not to give a single punch to anyone this term, and she almost made it. After vacation, she returned to school, excited to reunite with the new friends she had made in the first half of the semester.

Then she heard loud noises. It sounded like screaming and crying, but it was hard to distinguish whether it was from a boy or a girl.

Anyways, our gallant Sebriane decided to go and see what happened. The noise came from the little wood. As she came closer, the shouting became clearer, and within there were voices of several boys and girls, some among which she knew.

'So where were you?' One girl asked.

'She stayed at home!' Another answered sarcastically.

A boy said with exaggerated disdain, 'Oh, poor chick!'

Once he finished his words, the crowd burst into roaring laughters.

And here came this tall, slim girl, walking over so calmly. Some in the crowd knew her, and they went, 'Oh yes, we've got one more!'

'One more for what?' She stood.

'You know what? She didn't go out this summer.'

'And you know why?' Another girl with glittering eyeshadow on continued, 'Because she has no mother, and her father just got fired!'

And her words were followed by another blast of laughter.

Sebriane wanted to take a look at the victim, but when she turned, what filled her sight was just a wall of kids.

'Who are you talking about?' She asked, frowning.

'Who cares? Little bitch!'

'What did she do?'

The girls rolled their eyes at her and left, whispering something at each other.

'Noel!' Sebriane called a tall, strong boy. This guy was probably the only person in this school who could tower over her.

Noel turned to see who was interrupting. 'You wanna join us?'

'I want you to stop.'

'You're on HER side?'

'You're bullying a girl.'

'Oh!' He raised an eyebrow pretentiously, 'My many apologies, ma'am.'

'Leave her alone.'

'She scratched Helen's wrist first.'

'You're looking for trouble, Sebriane Moran.'

'I said LEAVE HER ALONE.'

'Do you just wanna fight?'

'Stay away from her, and you can do whatever you want to me.'

'Whatever? You mean it?'

'I do.'

'You just said I can't bully a girl, didn't you?' He narrowed his eyes which weren't large in the first place.

'You don't have to treat me like a girl.'

Noel sneered. Then he turned to his gang, 'Sebriane wanna fight!'

The boys soon abandoned their previous victim and gathered around her.

'Shall we go one on one or group fighting?'

Sebriane just waited. She had met tough guys, and she knew Noel would shoot a little lower in the bullseye. Though hadn't given a blow for more than half a year, she still believed she was as good as always. Besides, after the combat broke off, once these guys found that she was a serious opponent, it didn't take long for them to quit and leave. She got a black eye and bleeding lips that looked worse than it was, along with a few scratches on her arms and neck, and they left several footprints on her clothes.

Suddenly she remembered what she was here for. The girl.

She didn't hear her during the fight. She paid attention, but couldn't catch a single sound the girl should possibly make.

She whisked off the dust on herself and looked around. People had left, and silence returned.

There she was.

Under one of the oldest oaks, huddled a girl. Her skin was ghostly pale. This girl saw Sebrianna since the moment the wall of people around her was destructed, yet she didn't say a word, nor make a noise to claim her presence. She wasn't really sure why, though. She knew deep inside that a million thanks wouldn't be too much for this tall and rather cool girl, and she would like to be noticed, even just to show that she's alright - well, maybe she wasn't.

She had been watching her drive the other kids away, and now her savior was walking towards her with worry on her face, which, for her, was unusual to see. What's more, she didn't know her.

What now? She asked herself. Should I go away, or maybe say something? She urged her frightened mind to think of polite words to say while focusing on the moves of the other girl.

Their eyes met.

For a moment, Sebriane didn't know what to do. This girl was about the same age as her, and she looked so delicate, like...like one of those little birds in the tree. Her eyes were large, dark, and deep enough to drown her, and they looked even more toxicant when open wide in fear.

After a few seconds, she was able to speak, though in a voice she found hard to believe was of herself, 'Are you okay?'

The girl hesitated for a short while, looking up and down at her. Then she went, raising an eyebrow, 'Me?'

'Yeah, you, of course.'

She silently took a deep breath, 'I'm fine.'

Sebriane regretted even asking. She's NOT fine, certainly not. Just look at the bruises, the blood on her face and the dread she was trying to conceal under her soft, trembling voice. She should have just gone and checked, and sent her to the clinic. She stood there at a loss of words.

The girl slowly got up, balancing herself with a hand on the trunk.

She was almost a good head shorter than Sebriane; even among girls, she looked small. Sebriane reached out an arm to her, but she stopped her, looking up with a little smile at the left corner of her lips, 'I'm...I'm okay, thanks.'

'I'll take you to the clinic.' Said Sebriane who withdrew her hand slowly, standing close beside her.

The girl didn't seem to get her right. 'I know where it is.' She went. But soon she added, 'Well, I think YOU should go get checked, though.'

'I'm alright, it's no big deal.'

'Do you know them?' The girl asked, turning to look her in the eye, as they were walking out the wood.

'Not all of them.'

She nodded. The breeze of late summer went through her dark, wavy hair, creating a soft sound. She had the slim face of a typical Irish girl, her eyes, eyelashes, eyebrows and hair so dark while her complexion so light. And with much less dread inside her, she was behaving rather calmly.

'What they said about you,' Sebriane continued, 'how much of it us true?'

The girl gave her a weird look. 'All of it.'

'Oh, I'm sorry.'

'Nah, nevermind.'

'Um,' she realised that she hadn't introduced herself, 'My name is Sebriane.'

'Yeah, I know that. Ráichéal.'

She nodeed. 'They called me "Seb".'

'Cool. Like a boy's name.'

Actually, at that moment, Sebriane was slightly surprised but also delighted that Ráichéal didn't seem to know about her father. 'You think it's cool?'

'Yeah, of course.'

'Well, you know, sometimes I'd rather be a boy.'

'Go ahead then.' Ráichéal said lightly.

Sebriane couldn't believe what she heard. When she said it to other people, they'd usually say, 'You're mad.' In other occasions, she would simply receive a roll of eyes. But this girl, this Ráichéal, who she had just known a minute ago, told her to 'go ahead' like it was such a normal thing to do, as normal as eating and sleeping. And on her face she didn't see sarcasm. She had no idea what to say at this point.

Not getting a response, Ráichéal began to wonder if she said anything wrong. She always did that. Maybe Sebriane was just joking? Maybe she still hoped that people see her as a girl? Maybe she said that just because she had had enough of being considered cool and 'boyish'? Did her 'go ahead' just sounded too indifferent? Or impatient? She had just met her, and she said something like that, and it probably hurts quite a lot. She simply wanted to show that she accepted transgender people with no discrimination. She fell silent too.

 

Dr Hooper didn't expect her first patient of the semester came so soon. As she opened the door, not yet saying 'hello', she was shocked to see two girls so badly hurt. In her mind, girls wouldn't fight; even if they did, it would not be a big deal, and no one would get black and blue. But here they were. She didn't know what had happened, and she wasn't sure whether she should ask.

She ended up saying with a bright smile, 'Please, come in, come in.'

She had a vague memory that she knew them, their names on the tip of her tongue but she couldn't remember.

'Sebriane got beaten by the boys.' Before she could ask what the matter was, the smaller girl said.

Oh yes, Sebriane Moran, only daughter of the great General Moran. She wondered who dared beating HER.

'Uh...I started the fight.' Sebriane corrected.

'Oh no,' Dr Hooper gently put a hand on her arm, 'what would your father say!'

Sebriane just looked away.

'Sit down here, and let me clean your wounds and bruises first.' Dr Hooper said as walking to the cabinet, 'Oh, and you too, of course, do take a seat.' She turned to the other girl, smiling, 'Sorry, but what's your name again?'

'Ráichéal Brook.'

'Oh, yes, of course, Rae. I'm already aging now.' She let out a little laugh, shaking her head slowly.

There was no big problem with Sebriane, but after Ráichéal got checked, Dr Hooper whispered to her, 'Would you come over and let's talk for a while?'

Usually when asked this, Ráichéal would know that something was terribly wrong with her. So she followed Dr Hooper quite naturally.

'Um, sorry?' Called Sebriane, 'So I can be off?'

'Well, if you have other things to do.'

'So I'll go. Slan.'

'Slan!' Dr Hooper watched her until her footsteps couldn't be heard. Then she quickly turned to Ráichéal, 'Tell me what happened.'

Ráichéal just stood there. She wanted to say something, and she knew she had a lot to say, but where should she start?

'Well, who did it?'

'I don't know. I don't know any of them.'

'Have you heard them calling each other?'

'I have, but I don't remember.'

Dr Hooper sighed. A few seconds of silence, and she went, 'What about Se - the other girl, you know her?'

'Seb, yes.'

'You said she was beaten, but she said she started the fight?'

'She...well, yeah, she sort of started it. But she got beaten.'

'By who?'

'Some boys.'

Dr Hooper pouted, letting out a loud sigh. 'Any idea why she did that? Starting a fight with boys?'

Ráichéal was clearly aware that Sebriane did it for her. She distracted the crowd and helped her out. But just answering 'for me' could sound really weird. 'She was trying to...you know, like, work things out and stop them.'

'Okay...' Dr Hooper forced a smile, telling herself that maybe General Moran would not punish his daughter for this. She knew Sebriane was not the kind of quiet kid that she looked like, but that she fought was still astonishing. 'But what did you do? Was it for that again?'

Ráichéal nodded, her lips tense.

The first time she got bullied, which was on the third day of senior high, it was Dr Hooper who dragged her out of the crowd and into the clinic. And as usual, she was asked how she got hurt, to which she always answered that she tripped and fell. For the 16 years of her life, no one has doubted this explanation, although they would look at her for a little longer. Until Dr Hooper.

'I don't believe you.' Said this kind-looking young lady after Ráichéal said she tripped and fell, once more after thousands of times.

Ráichéal didn't what to say. Of course, Dr Hooper had seen through her weak lie. Now what? Tell her what happened? Born in a small family near the skirt of Co Kerry, ever since she knew that her mother's death seven hours after her birth and she herself being the only surviving child in three were things to feel really bad about, she hid these facts from everyone she met. The last thing her mother did was giving her this rather old-fashioned name for which she had been laughed at quite often, and because of which she would always have to take a little more time when introducing herself. And now this school doctor was asking her to tell the truth. She didn't dare imagine what could happen once someone knew that she actually got bullied every time she said she tripped and fell.

'Just tell me if someone beated you. I won't let it out.' Said Dr Hooper.

She nodded.

'Do you know them?'

'No.'

'How long has it been like this? You've been bullied before?'

She nodded again.

'Do your parents know?'

The word 'parents' hit her. 'Parent.' She corrected, 'Dad doesn't know. I never told him.'

'Oh, I'm really sorry.' Dr Hooper put a hand on her shoulder. 'But I don't think you mean your father saw you come home with a black eye and said nothing?'

'I would tell him I fell. He believed it.'

Dr Hooper sighed. Then she went, 'Look, I'll try to work it out, okay?'

'You're gonna tell the teachers?'

'They have to know.'

Well, it seemed like no turning back. Instead of resisting, she went to the mirror to put the makeup on. This was another thing that she learned at a young age. At first, it was just about covering the black eye with foundation; gradually, she could make her face look almost completely normal, and the entire process took less than 10 minutes. That was how she concealed the fact that she got bullied from the teachers and other students. Dr Hooper was so shocked to see this, but being aware of how important it was for her, she didn't stop her.

Probably Dr Hooper really did something as she had promised, for there were less trouble for her than usual. She didn't know whether she talked to the teachers or the bullies, but there was one thing for sure that her father was still kept in the dark. As the only close relative of this poor man, she felt sorry and guilty, but it was the best she could do. Letting him know that she got beaten at school would be heartbreaking - not to mention telling him that all these years his daughter had not told him the truth.

'Yeah, for that again.' She answered.

 

Sebriane regretted shortly after she left the cinic. It's a private conversation, she comforted herself. But somehow she felt uneasy to leave Ráichéal. There was something about this girl that occupied her mind. As an all-A student, for one of the very few times, she failed to answer a question correctly. Of course, her teacher and classmates were just a little surprised and it was soon forgotten, but for Sebriane, she was constantly fearing that the teacher would ask more about it after class. Probably that was what called a distraction, she decided - she found it hard to concentrate for long, and from time to time when it came to the less inportant parts of the class, Ráichéal's shadow silently flew into her thoughts. Her classroom was next to Ráichéal's, and she went to check if Ráichéal was there as soon as the teacher had left. She was not there. She decided to find her at the clinic.

As we can imagine, they were still in. Sebriane waited outside the door, and deliberatedly, she heard what she hadn't expected to hear. This girl is only 16, she thought, and she suffers this much. Despite being sorry for her, she realised something. She was afraid to believe that she had known Ráichéal's top secrets, the ones she tried the hardest to hide. But at the same time, with what she heard, she came to understand what the girls in the crowd said. They hadn't been lying.

She thought of her own family. Her father didn't seem to care about her very much, and he would scold at her every time she did something even just a little bit wrong. Her mother was sometimes really annoying. But after all, her family was complete. Yet this girl -

'You've been listening?' The door was suddenly open, and Ráichéal asked with an obvious anger in her voice, her eyes burning with disappointment and panic.

So what she feared finally happened. 'No, I...I haven't, how could I? It's...I just came here to find you. You didn't come back for the class.'

Ráichéal gave her another look, and said, 'Let's go then.'

She looked well, most of the bruises gone, which was quite a relief for Sebriane. But still, what she heard by accident made her feel uncomfortable. 'Um,' she cleared her throat, 'well, when I came, you were still in -'

'And you heard something, I know. Your face says everything.' Ráichéal said with a brief smile.

'Look, I'm sorry.' Sebriane took a few steps quickly forward and stood in front of the smaller girl, 'I'll keep it a secret, I promise.'

The sudden stop was obviously a bit unexpected. 'It's alright.' Said Ráichéal with a raise of eyebrow.

Sebriane couldn't be more surprised. The almost indifferent calmness in her voice made her even wonder whether what she had heard was seriously some 'secrets'. But well, maybe it was because she saved her from more fists. She watched her return to her class.

As expected, the first thing Sebriane heard when she entered home was her father's voice with anger, disappointness, and a little bit of worry, 'What have you done?'

'I didn't start it, Dad.' Slightly annoyed, she cast her bag straight to the bed in her bedroom, the door of which in the direction she was facing, open.

'But you took part in it, didn't you?'

'Yes, but -'

'Then don't explain. You fought, that's it.'

'It's different this time, Dad. You don't understand.'

'Oh well, so you have an excuse to fight?'

'Norbert,' her mother gently interrupted, 'let her finish.'

General Moran glanced at Aislinn, then sighed, staring at Sebriane, 'Go on.'

'A girl was being bullied. I heard her scream and I went over, and I saw a crowd of other students around her. Her mother died, and her father was out of work, and they were laughing at her because she couldn't afford to go on vacation this summer. And some of them I know. I didn't fight the girls; they saw me and were too impatient to answer my questions and walked away. One of the boys was Noel, and I called him out and had a fight with him and his gang. And then I took the girl to Ms Hooper. That's it.'

'You don't know her?'

'I didn't before. Her name's Ráichéal.'

'What?'

'Ráichéal.'

'Jesus, I thought nobody would use such name.'

'What do you mean?'

'Don't you think it's strange and complex and old-fashioned?'

'Mam -'

'And nerdy?'

'Mam!'

'I sometimes think that Aislinn is a really...I don't know, I don't like this name.'

'I'm saying you cannot mock about her name. Or anyone's.'

'But how do you explain this,' General Moran showed a text message to Sebriane, 'the report I got from Mr Goodman?'

'Dear Mr Moran,' read the message, 'your daughter Sebriane got an answer wrong, which had never happened in my class. As long as I know, she could always answer questions correctly in other classes. I would very much like to know what the problem is. If not serious, then it's all good; if it's something else, I think we both will need to pay some attention to it. Thank you. Sincerely, Mr Goodman.'

'He never talks like that,' said Sebriane, 'he never does.'

'But it's text message. You don't know how he texts.'

'No, I know who did this.'

'But it's his number.'

'Oh Dad,' Sebriane rolled her eyes, 'if I want to, I can pick up your phone and text your subordinates.'

'Wait, what do you mean?'

'I mean I don't think Mr Goodman would do this kind of ridiculous things.' Sebriane said, walking into her bedroom and shut the door.


End file.
